7. Ann Arbor, Mich.

7. Ann Arbor, Mich.

MCT

Education is another factor in job stability. This refers not only to individual workers' education levels, but also to the presence of educational institutions. Colleges and universities can provide large, relatively stable job pools to a metro area. Kent Costin, Fargo's city director of finance, counts North Dakota State University and Concordia College as two key employers in the Fargo metropolitan area. Likewise, the University of Michigan and University of Michigan Medical Center are the two top employers in Ann Arbor, and the University of Minnesota is one of the Twin Cities' top employers. (Above: University of Michigan graduates watch and record moments during the spring commencement at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Saturday April 30, 2011.)

Education is another factor in job stability. This refers not only to individual workers' education levels, but also to the presence of educational institutions. Colleges and universities can provide large, relatively stable job pools to a metro area. Kent Costin, Fargo's city director of finance, counts North Dakota State University and Concordia College as two key employers in the Fargo metropolitan area. Likewise, the University of Michigan and University of Michigan Medical Center are the two top employers in Ann Arbor, and the University of Minnesota is one of the Twin Cities' top employers. (Above: University of Michigan graduates watch and record moments during the spring commencement at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Saturday April 30, 2011.) (MCT)

Education is another factor in job stability. This refers not only to individual workers' education levels, but also to the presence of educational institutions. Colleges and universities can provide large, relatively stable job pools to a metro area. Kent Costin, Fargo's city director of finance, counts North Dakota State University and Concordia College as two key employers in the Fargo metropolitan area. Likewise, the University of Michigan and University of Michigan Medical Center are the two top employers in Ann Arbor, and the University of Minnesota is one of the Twin Cities' top employers. (Above: University of Michigan graduates watch and record moments during the spring commencement at Michigan Stadium in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Saturday April 30, 2011.)